


a day in the life of red the hamster

by zenstrike



Series: you’re lucky that’s what i like [19]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fairy Tale Elements, Lovey Dovey, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-15
Updated: 2018-11-15
Packaged: 2019-08-23 23:00:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16628093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zenstrike/pseuds/zenstrike
Summary: A day in the life of Red, a loving hamster.





	a day in the life of red the hamster

**Author's Note:**

  * For [csmithman](https://archiveofourown.org/users/csmithman/gifts).



> Once upon a time, a nervous zen started writing a series of klance fics and a lovely person commented on them. In time, this lovely person inspired a long-ass story about Keith bringing Lance strawberries. A beautiful friendship was born.
> 
> For Colleen. I hope this gives your soul a little warmth and a lot of sunlight.

    Red’s world was limited, but full.

    She had vague memories of her previous family, and of the cool grass on the day that she was found. She knew her now-family, as best she could, and she knew one set of hands from another. She knew that her little home had grown since she had first been brought into it, and she knew that she sometimes got glimpses of the world outside of that home. She knew where to find water, and food, and shelter, and warmth. She knew that her family, somehow, came for her when she was lonely or confused. It had been a long time since she had been afraid, well and truly, and it had been an equally long time since she had been uncomfortable. Red, though she didn’t entirely understand what it meant, knew that she was loved.

    Her world was littered with clues that told her this.

    She knew Lance. She knew his hands and the smell of his skin and the sound of his voice. Lance didn’t talk to her, so much as sing to her, telling her stories and promising her eggs. She knew time was passing because Lance, in a way, was changing: his hands were steadier when he held her, his voice was brighter when he sang to her. For Lance, Red showed her appreciation by settling where he left her (in towels, in blankets, on counters) and by walking to and fro with him.

    She knew Keith. She also knew his hands and the smell of his skin and the sound of his voice. Keith talked to her a lot, and he kept his voice low and he was soothing like that. Keith’s hands were different: he was a little warmer, he held her very carefully, and Red knew that he stressed a little if she moved too much so she liked to stay still for him. Keith crumbled her treats just right, and Keith always kept cold water in her dish on hot days. For Keith, Red tried to show her appreciation in small squeaks and by keeping close when she thought he needed her.

    And, she knew Lance and Keith together. Sometimes, she’d wake from sleep and hear them talking quietly together. The room had a different smell with the both of them in it: warm, and sweet, and familiar. She liked to come to the edge of her cave and look for them, sitting together or leaning close to each other. Best of all was when Lance, because it was usually Lance, came to get her and lifted her carefully and held her in his hands while he and Keith talked, or walked, or did anything together.

    She always felt very secure, settled in Lance’s hands and held near Keith. She thought they felt the same, because Keith was always touching Lance and Lance was always leaning into Keith.

    Sometimes, she fell asleep like that.

    Other things told her she was loved—for one, she knew that Lance loved Keith and Keith loved Lance and they both loved Hunk, though she wasn’t sure Hunk loved her yet.

    Lance, for example, brought her into the kitchen once in a while and he’d settle her in a blanket on the table and he’d talk (he’d sing) her through a recipe he’d found online. “We’re making your other father a dinner to remember,” he’d say and rub at the spot between her ears that always made Red feel a little like melting.

    _You’re not my father_ , she’d think with affection and Lance would carry on and the kitchen would fill with smells that would lull Red into a doze.

    Keith sometimes scooped her away from Lance, and ignored Lance’s protests and Red blinking up at him. He’d rub her before he set her away and then he’d make his way back to Lance and Red would watch, for a moment, as Keith peppered Lance with kisses and soft touches and she imagined all that felt like rubbing that spot between her ears. She’d hear the soft sound of Keith’s voice and then the brightness of Lance’s laughter, and she’d go into her cave and take a nap. Keith always came back to get her again, and deliver her back to Lance, who received her with glee and a bright smile.

    _You’re taking care of him_ , she’d think and she’d wish she could tell Keith that she appreciated everything he did for Lance and for them.

    Sometimes, Hunk came late in the night while Red was eating or playing or just contemplating the sleeping shape of her family. He opened the door and his smell would fill the room and Red would perk her ears and come close to the edge of her cage and look at him. Hunk would look at the bed, and then at Red herself, and he’d come close and give her a small greeting: “Hi, Red,” and “Sorry for waking you, Red.”

    And if he’d said that, Lance would sit up and say: “She’s nocturnal. Come to bed.”

    And if he said nothing at all and just sat in front of Red, Keith would crawl out of the bed and come to get him.

    Sometimes Red liked the lumpy shape of all three of them the best.

    Sometimes she preferred the warmth of Keith’s hands, so steady and comforting.

    And sometimes all she wanted was the sound of Lance’s voice, so soothing and familiar.

    Red sometimes dreamt of being bigger than she was, and of taking care of her family like they took care of her. She thought she could soothe Lance on his restless nights, if he’d let her. She thought she could settle Keith on his exhausted days, if he’d let her. She dreamt of ways that she could tell them to just lay flat, like she did, but when she woke they just smiled down at her and showered her with affection and she did her best to model the peace that they gave her.

    She didn’t know, exactly, what love was but she had an idea. She did her best to share it, even if she was only a hamster.

**Author's Note:**

> Love, Red and Zen.


End file.
